Suroy- suroy: A day in Cagayan- Kagayhaan Gold Cup 2016

I've been paddling for about a month now and still I can't believe I'm in the roster to represent Habagat in Cagayan City's 1st Kagayhaan Gold Cup Dragon Boat Competition. This is my first time to be out of Cebu and also my first time to be on a tournament with opponents from other places in the country!

What I am more excited about is that it will be held in Liceo de Cagayan University in Cagayan De Oro City, where my brother is! I and my mother will finally be able to visit him there!

The organisers of the Kagayhaan Gold Cup instituted this event to raise awareness and promote the Cagayan De Oro River that was once devastated by Typhoon Sendong; that it is still beautiful and thriving. In fact, they even released 2000 Tilapia fingerlings to bring back life to the river and reestablish the people's livelihood.

 photo by: Kareen B.

The team left at friday night, arrived in Cagayan at saturday morning and went straight ahead to the venue. Oh, that's about 12 hours of boat ride. 

photo by: Kareen B.

The tournament has 5 categories with several heats:

     - 2000m Open (standard, 22 crew members)

     - 2000m Mixed (standard)

     - 200m Women (half boat, 12 crew members)

     - 200m Mixed (standard)

     - 200m Open (standard)

It also has 12 competing dragon boat teams from Visayas and Mindanao

     Habagat (Cebu)

     Kugtong (Cebu)

     Liceo Dragonoids (CDO)

     Liceo Junior Dragonoids (CDO)

     FSUU Blue Dragons (Butuan)

     Dipolog Paddlers (Dipolog)

     Dicayas Paddlers (Dipolog)

     Tacloban Saltwater Dragons (Tacloban)

     Bakunawa (Iligan)

     Hiraya Minokawa Dabaw (Davao)

     Kampilan (Davao)

     Dragons Del Sur (Davao)

As for me, I paddled for two heats: 200m mixed and 200m womens which definitely drained me out! I salute my other team members who have been paddling repeatedly. I mean paddling in fresh and upstream water is not an easy task at all. 

And oh, here's my brother and his friends who still cheered for us in spite of him studying in Liceo. He was a little unfair, I guess? He just love's me, that's all.

photo by: kggoldcup

We didn't bring the bacon home though but we will definitely bring home the learnings and the experience we had in Cagayan City. I'm definitely going to practice more so that next time, I'll be able to cope up with my idols.

Congratulations to the overall champions, the Liceo Dragonoids, the runners- up, and all the winners of each category.